Retrospective 2016

Another year is coming to its end and I couldn’t be more thankful about everything I’ve received…

First days already with new challenges

On the beginning of the year, I was barely starting at Codeminer 42, where I got the opportunity to work on Pagseguro, one of the
major Brazilian payment systems. There, I got the opportunity to work on a huge JavaEE system, surrounded of technology, best
practices and chances to improve my skills on large scale systems. At Codeminer, I got the opportunity to work with skilled
and friendly developers from different areas and technologies, which, besides not working on the same project as me, helped
me to evolve as both professional and people. One of the best places I’ve ever worked and that I deeply recommend for everybody
who is willing to work in an environment that breathes technology everyday.

Europe, here we go…

On June, I finally got something I was willing a long (loooooong) time ago:

I finally got the opportunity to work and live in Europe \o/

Since June, I’m working at Jura Online, an eLearning company based on Berlin, Germany. Here, I got the opportunity to work even deeply
with Ruby, the main language I’ve choose for the next years and, also, got the chance to work with frontend development, building from
the ground a React/Redux application. This project demanded a lot of me professionally speaking, due the complete change of my line of action,
considering my background as backend developer. But the result is amazing and is almost fresh-out-of-the oven :)

Besides the technical challenge, the emotional was impacted as well with all these changes. New job, moving to another country, new life,
new challenges… No need to say that the fear of the uncertainty hit me and in some opportunities I got myself thinking in giving up of
moving to Germany. Today I see how wrong and stupid I was being that time, and I own this to my wife Jordana who gave me all the support
to realise that I was being silly.

Finally, graduated

On August, after long years of study and stress, I got graduated in Computer Engineering. The ceremony was amazing, as was the after party.
It was wonderful to see all my friends and family sharing that moment with me, a moment I was waiting for years and thinking how
it would be… It was even better than expected <3

Lessons learned from 2016

And now, on the last week of the year, already living in Berlin, with my beloved wife and dogs, I see that:

Life is completely unpredictable: No matter how much you plan your next steps and prepare yourself for the future. This only will make your path more comfortable,
but the final decision was never on your hands.

Dreams can really became true: Even with the concurrency of other countries and other developers around the world, I’ve never gave up of my dream to return to
Europe with a job, no matter how far it seemed to be. Planning my next steps keeping this dream as the main objective was decisive to achieve this.

Family comes before everything: No matter how good you’re in your career and how disputed you’re by companies, the family is the only thing that will be always with you,
giving you support on hard times and celebrating the good ones with you.

Plans to 2017

This new year’s eve will be even more special, because will really represent a new beginning, with new challenges, possibilities and things to live.

Some of my plans to next year are fresh new ones, like build a solid career in Europe, learn German (I hate depends on English here in Germany) and, thinking higher, maybe
start a master degree study here in Germany. I have, of course, some plans in the personal/family circle as well, but I they should be restricted to those involved :)

Other plans are “reheated” from previous years, like doing more exercises, spend more time in parks/nature and the old and good (and hard) one: loose some weight.

But, no matter if new or old plans, the more important for me is keeping these objectives in mind, even not sure if I will achieve them, because dream is what moves the man forward.

Conclusion

Besides writing this long post, It isn’t even close of what I’m feeling about all of these changes and achievements that 2016 reserved for me, probably because I’m still
digesting everything that happened and what’s going to happen now. But I’m so sure that the sense of mission accomplished is one of the most strong feelings
I’m facing right now, specially when looking behind and seeing all the obstacles that were overcome to arrive here.

Thanks so, so much all my family for the support, all my friends for the knowledge and good times, the destiny for making me feel alive everyday and God,
for being so generous with me so far :)